The Cosmetics Retail Industry in Stavanger: Current Status and Future Prospects

The cosmetics retail industry in Stavanger is a mix of established and newer companies with variation in size and economic performance. There are 16 registered companies in the municipality, but only 40 companies in total in the area (according to data). The most represented organizational forms are AS, with 12 companies and 96 employees. New companies such as Bebeautiful As (2024) and Kicks Norge As Avd 402 Madla (2025) show that the industry is still dynamic. At the same time, there are several companies with zero income or negative results, which indicates variation in operating results.

Economic Trends

Sales and Employees:

Sales grew by 14.2% from 2016 to 2017, but had a decline of 25.9% from 2022 to 2023 before a strong increase of 78.4% in 2024. The number of employees has been on a downward trend since 2016, with an increase of 14.9% from 2021 to 2022.

Average figures:

• EBITDA margin: 6% (2025)
• Sales per employee: 1.2M (2025)
• Gross profit: 2366% (2025)

Key Companies in the Industry

Top Companies by EBITDA:

Organizational Forms:

• AS: 12 companies, 96 employees, 119.7M operating income
• ENK: 4 companies, 0 employees, 0 operating income

Special Cases:

• Bebeautiful As (2024): New company with 0 income and 9 employees
• Classic Parfymeri As: EBITDA margin of -7% and total debt of 434.0K

Stavanger:

• 9 companies, 69 employees, 80.3M sales, 3.2M operating result
• Highest sales, but lowest operating result per employee (3%)

Hafrsfjord:

• 3 companies, 27 employees, 38.8M sales, 2.2M operating result
• Higher operating result per employee (5%) and higher gross profit (2424%)

Comparison:

Bankruptcy Safety:

• No companies in the industry are bankrupt (according to data)
• Kicks Norge As Avd 626 Kilden has negative EBITDA (2.2M) and -6% sales growth
• Classic Parfymeri As has an EBITDA margin of -7% and total debt of 434.0K

Stable Companies:

• Rituals Cosmetics Norway As (3 departments): 12% EBITDA margin and 8% sales growth
• Koch As Koch Parfymeri Amfi Madla: 5% EBITDA margin and 1% sales growth

Positive Trends:

• Sales grew by 78.4% from 2023 to 2024, the highest in the period
• Stavanger has 9 companies with 69 employees, showing an established market share
• Hafrsfjord has a higher EBITDA margin (7%) than Stavanger (6%)

Outside the Data:

• Increased interest in local cosmetics and sustainable products could provide opportunities
• Stavanger's central location and tourist flows could be advantageous
• SmartGrunder can help founders find suitable addresses in Stavanger for cosmetics stores

The cosmetics retail industry in Stavanger shows both stability and variation. With 16 registered companies and a sales growth of 78.4% in 2024, there are clear opportunities for growth. At the same time, the data shows that the industry has variation in operating results, which underscores the need for strategic planning. For founders, Stavanger's market share and proximity to tourists could be an advantage, but it is important to analyze competitors and find differentiation opportunities.